Growing
by RedBrunja
Summary: Yaone knew she was in trouble when even Lirin noticed."
1. Growing

**Title: **Growing & New Place

**Author:** redbrunja

**Fandom:** Saiyuki

**Rating**: PG-13

**Characters: **Mainly Yaone & Hakkai.

**Summery:** "Yaone knew she was in trouble when even Lirin noticed."

_**Growing**_

Yaone knew she was in trouble when even Lirin noticed.

"Yaone," the girl asked, bottom lip trembling, "are you dying?"

The bit of croissant Yaone'd been raising to her lips slipped from her fingers. "Lirin," she protested, "don't be ridiculous!"

Lirin looked at her with big, worried eyes.

Yaone looked incredulously at Dokugakuji and Kougaiji, expecting them to share her surprise.

Both men were looking at her as if they'd like an answer.

"I'm not dying," she said throat tightening, and she sounded unconvincing even to herself. "Why would you think that?"

"Well," Kou said slowly, "You're very pale."

"I'm just fair-skinned!" she protested.

"You're not eating!" Lirin cried, in the same way someone else would yell, 'you're not breathing!'

"Lirin, I'm eating breakfast with you right now," Yaone argued.

Lirin pointed accusingly at Yaone's plate.

"I think she's right," Doku said.

"Thank you," Yaone respond.

"The other her," Doku corrected. "_You_ are just playing with your food."

Yaone would have had a handy retort for that, except when she looked down at her plate she saw an impressive sea of crumbs, the bits of bread so voluminous that she almost didn't believe they could have all come from the sole pastry she'd taken from the basket at the center of the table.

"I'm not dying," she repeated.

"Could you manage to look less pale and exhausted, then?" Doku asked, blessedly breaking the tension, "cause I think you're scaring your mirror at this point."

Yaone gave him a weak smile. "I'll try," she said, wishing some terminal illness was her problem.

(≠)

"Good evening, Hakkai," Yaone said formally as Hakkai opened the door of his hotel room, "It has been brought to my attention that there is something we need to discuss."

"Come in," he responded, stepping back. He'd been reading in bed, and the covers were thrown back invitingly, a book resting on the night stand. The only light came from a bedside lamp, and the room was dim and soothing to her tired eyes.

Yaone walked over to the table and pressed her hands flat into the wood. There was a mirror on the wall, and she looked at her face in it, drawn and almost translucent. The women in the mirror looked barely in control and terrified. Yaone switched her focus to Hakkai, who was watching her with concern.

"I'm pregnant and I'm not getting rid of it," she said.

Yaone watched the impact of her words. There was no surprise at her condition, but she saw the moment of shock at her decision, followed by a look of joy so raw and naked that she closed her eyes; those emotions were too intimate for her to gaze upon.

There was a moment of silence, and then she felt Hakkai's arms wrap around her, strong and sure, and it was only then that the terror and uncertainly released their choke hold on her enough for her to start crying.


	2. New Place

_**-New Place-**_

"Are you sure I can't help?" Yaone asked from the bed.

"Yes," Hakkai said firmly.

Her pride told her she should get up and help anyway, just to prove she could, but weariness dragged at her bones. Plus, she'd spent the whole day arguing with people to let her actually move things into his - their- new house. Once, she'd tried to pick up a box of china and both Dokugakuji and his brother had practically flung themselves across the box to prevent her from doing so. It would have been cute, if it hadn't been so annoying.

She was just proud of herself that she'd refused to let any of them touch her alchemical equipment; those items they'd let her deal with alone, but only because she'd told them that any amateur handing her things would blow themselves up, and they couldn't figure out if she was bluffing or not.

So now she reclined on her new bed, in her new house, and watched her not-so-new lover dust off the bookshelves and start putting books away, neatly organizing them by author.

She rubbed her hand over her distended stomach, feeling the familiar prickle of anxiety combined with love as she trailed her fingers across her skin and Hakkai's daughter kicked in response.

Hakkai was reaching the end of the books, and he had to lean far over to get the ones loitering on the bottom.

His movement stretched the khaki of his trousers tight over his rear end, and Yaone tilted her head to the side to get a better view of the taut fabric and his tighter ass.

She felt a smile tugging at her lips.

The last books put away and their clothes already hanging in the closet, Hakkai started folding up the cardboard.

He came to the side of the bed, placed a kiss on her forehead and then turned to go.

"Wait," she said, "what are you doing?"

"I thought I'd start on the living room," Hakkai explained.

"It's late," she said in a low voice.

"Yes, but if I start now, I should be able to move on to the kitchen by three."

Yaone propped herself up on her elbow, and Hakkai automatically put some of the extra pillows behind her.

She would have snapped at him for it, but the pillows felt nice supporting her back.

"Hakkai, everything does not have to be put away tonight," she said seriously.

"I know," Hakkai said in Yes-they-do-but-I-won't-argue-with-you way.

He kissed her briskly on the lips and started to turn away.

Yaone caught him by the shirt.

"But there's other things that should be set to rights first," she protested and he turned back toward her.

"Should I start with the kitchen?" he asked, looking concerned.

"It's the bed," Yaone said coquettishly.

"Is it not comfy? Should I return it? Do you need more pillows?" He was looking worried now, and it took every ounce of self control Yaone had not to smile.

"It needs to be broken in," she said seriously, drawing him toward her.

"Oh," Hakkai said in a tone of enlightenment. "I see. I should probably help with that right away."

"I think you should," said Yaone.


End file.
